


these words

by karmahui



Series: Drabble Dump [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Light Angst, M/M, Mentioned SEVENTEEN Ensemble, Pre-Debut era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-08 05:54:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17380868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karmahui/pseuds/karmahui
Summary: Wonwoo didn’t know what to say, really. You’re welcome? No problem? It’s what friends do? All these phrases don’t seem an appropriate response to the amount of emotion Junhui put into these words.





	these words

Seventeen has a lot of members. It was hard to feel alone when there were several other boys, many of them younger than him, occupying the same space. They were loud, but homey. They became his family after he had left China to become an artist, a performer.

 

When Wen Junhui had moved to South Korea, he barely knew the language. So he became silent and preserved so as to avoid talking much. Kwon Soonyoung had ‘taken him under his wing’ (“Hi! I’m Soonyoung, let me teach you Korean, Heechul sunbaenim lookalike.”). He had resorted to communicating by body language, until he had slowly but surely learned speaking in Korean.

 

His trainee days were memorable. He became close with all of his fellow trainees. He held interesting conversations with each one of them. He even became one of the guardian figures for the younger ones, who looked up to him with much admiration because of how he came alone from China to train. He never once felt lonely.

 

He became particularly close with Yao Mingming, a fellow Chinese trainee who had easily mellowed into the Korean culture faster than Junhui ever did. His dependence on Mingming was palpable, even the other trainees once pointed out that they were the closest out of all the trainees. They often play fought each other because Junhui, when he became more open, was a real comedian, while Mingming had to often remind Junhui that all his jokes were lame (he is lying).

 

So yes, Junhui and Mingming were a tandem no one can break.

 

Until Mingming left.

 

It was such a bright day when he did, too. They had all gotten the announcement when they were all at the practice studio. It was their CEO who came bearing the bad news to them.

 

“Unfortunately,” he had started. “Trainee Yao Mingming has decided to stop training with Seventeen, due to personal reasons that we cannot disclose to any of you.”

 

Rumors spread immediately among the trainees. They were young, thus cannot avoid the desire for gossip no matter how much they try. Some said that Mingming had decided to leave for China because he thought that training in Korea presented very dismal opportunities. Some said that it was because he grew tired.

 

No one really knew why.

 

So they went to ask Junhui, who knew even less.

 

The day ends with the remaining Seventeen trainees quietly arriving in their dorms. Wonwoo had taken one glance at Junhui’s face, and he opened his arms in the most subtle way. Junhui had succumbed to the emotional pain in his chest as he went into Wonwoo’s open arms.

 

As he held him, Wonwoo knows he will never understand how much pain Junhui felt that time. But he knows Mingming. Even if he wasn’t close with him, he knew him enough that the only reason he didn’t tell Junhui anything is because if he did, Junhui will decide to leave with him, no matter the circumstance.

 

Wonwoo’s respect for Mingming only grew.

 

When Junhui’s sobs ceased, Wonwoo still held him. He only released him when he felt hands on his chest, making him pull away enough to see the tear tracks on Junhui’s face.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered.

 

Wonwoo didn’t know what to say, really. You’re welcome? No problem? It’s what friends do? All these phrases don’t seem an appropriate response to the amount of emotion Junhui put into these words.

 

“I love you.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have no excuses


End file.
